New Research Sheds Light on Customer Experience Trends for 2018
Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) October 10, 2017 -- Mindstream Interactive, a customer experience agency, released a white paper today called CX Revisited, Our Obsession with Customer Experience, and the Surprising Role of Brands. This paper, which is based on a 400-person study, explores how today’s constantly-connected customers use their mobile devices and how that behavior will dictate their expectations of customer experience in 2018.
The results of the study strongly suggest that customers can no longer be put into the category of either an online or offline customer, given how connected people are through mobile devices while still expecting in-person experiences.
“Customers are online the vast majority of the day and they expect brands to be there as well,” said Marti Post, VP of Strategic Services. “Even when shopping in a store, people go on their phones for coupons, to read online product reviews, watch video tutorials, download an app, or ‘check in’ to score a good deal. Brands who know how their customers make their buying decisions using both digital and offline experiences and use that insight strategically, will be the leaders in their markets.” Some key insights from the study include:
• The role of the brand website has changed: once an all-important hub for everything, it’s now flanked by many other touchpoints and distribution channels. Websites are still important, but nearly half of the respondents said they visit the site as a second or third step when considering a purchase.
• Only 19% of the respondents trust completely that what brands say on their website is truthful, and instead, rely on reviews on other sites to provide honesty.
• Most customers will only tolerate a 1-hour response window, regardless of how they reach out (social media or web contact form).
• Customers are online from early morning until after 10pm, which will likely start to shape new hours of operations for social media and customer service departments and/or increase the use of other digital properties like messenger bots.
• 34% of respondents said they can’t recall the last time they interacted with a national brand without the use of digital support, 36% said the same for a local brand.
• 35% of respondents (the top answer) said retail experiences have been enhanced most with the advent of digital.
• 74% of respondents prefer to shop in department stores (Macy’s, Kohl’s, Nordstrom, etc.) or online retail sites, versus branded stores (Oakley, Fossil, Victoria’s Secret, Pink, etc.) sites or apps (24%).
• The vast majority of customers are not ready to accept augmented or virtual reality yet, some calling it a “gimmick” or “marketing tactic.”
“The results of this survey show us unequivocally that customers are very savvy and their expectations are very high,” said Post. “For brands, this means it’s more important than ever to understand their customers’ journey as well as their expectations, from every perspective online and offline, so they can create the customer experiences that keep them coming back.”
To download the full white paper, visit http://www.mindstreaminteractive.com/cxrevisited.
Mindstream Interactive is a customer experience agency that helps clients identify and remove friction points from their customer journey. Mindstream is built on over 15 years of experience driving business impact for iconic client partners such as AARP, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bob Evans, Elmer’s, TITLE Boxing Club and Visit California. Born digital and results-obsessed, their diverse client roster spans industries and business challenges, building customer experiences worth talking about. http://www.MindstreamInteractive.com
Zach Gerber, Mindstream Interactive, http://www.mindstreaminteractive.com, +1 6147542029, [email protected]
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